Third batch of Apache helicopters to arrive this month

Six AH-64E Apache helicopters will arrive from the US in the middle of the month and will be flown directly to an airbase in Greater Tainan, a military source said yesterday.

The source said the six attack helicopters are scheduled to arrive in Greater Kaohsiung on March 17.

Because they have passed tests in the US, they will not be affected by a recent transmission problem and can proceed directly to the airbase after routine checks, the source said.

The helicopters will be permanently stationed in the north of the island in the future, the official said.

The shipment is one of five batches of six helicopters each that are costing the government more than US$2 billion.

The government was notified by the US in the middle of December last year of a transmission failure on an Apache AH-64E in service in the US, forcing Taiwan to ground the shipment of Apache helicopters that had arrived the month before.

The six Apaches that arrived in January were moved to the Tainan airbase via ground transport.

An army official said the 12 helicopters would be placed on operational status after safety verifications.

The final two batches of helicopters will be delivered with the new transmission boxes and are expected to arrive in May and June.